The US Navy recently field-tested its new Maritime Augmented Guidance
with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision
Enabling Technologies (MAGIC CARPET) software. The goal of the software
is to automatically assist F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers
during their carrier landing phase.

"This
underway marked the first use of the MAGIC CARPET technology on an aircraft
carrier," said Lt. Cmdr. Dan Marzluff, assistant air operations
officer. "This software greatly reduces misses and wave-offs, which
translates into more time on-mission and makes us an overall more effective
force."

MAGIC CARPET is software designed for F/A-18E/F/G aircraft that automatically
adjusts the jet's speed and angle of attack in relation to the intended
landing surface. Initial tests of the system took place in early February
at Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.

"The majority of flight operations with the system were touch-and-goes,"
said Marzluff. "We didn't have to actually land to determine how
the software takes the aircraft to the flight deck."